Burnt
by suzie2b
Summary: Tully is held prisoner while Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch are forced to find an Arab leader taken by the Germans.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Burnt**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **The Rat Patrol was taking a break in the cover of a waterhole. With the canteens and water cans refilled, Hitch started working on the 50 caliber machine gun in the back of the jeep after Troy had complained that it was jamming too much. Troy and Moffitt were going over their charts.**

 **Tully was keeping watch in the back of the second jeep when he caught sight of something in the distance. He grabbed the binoculars to take a closer look. The heat rising off the sand distorted what he was looking at, but he knew what was coming. "Sarge! We've got company coming and they're moving fast!"**

 **Troy moved quickly in Tully's direction. "German?"**

 **Tully shook his head. "Looks like some of Akil's bunch."**

 **Troy took the binoculars and checked the group that was heading in their direction on galloping horses. "Damn, what's got them all fired up?"**

 **As he turned to give orders to his men, Moffitt called out, "There's more of them!"**

 **There was another group coming from behind. They were going to be outnumbered at least three-to-one.**

 **Troy heard the 50 being primed above him and quickly said, "Tully, wait! They're coming in fast, but quiet. Maybe we should see what they want."**

 **Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully were quickly surrounded and one of the group dismounted. He walked up to where the four soldiers stood together. "** انا عقيل ثانى مهدى **.** ونحن فى حاجة الى مساعدتكم **."**

 **Troy looked at Moffitt, who translated, "He's Akil's second. His name is Mahdi and he says they need our help."**

 **Because of past transgressions between the Rat Patrol and this particular band of Arabs, Troy frowned. "Our help? With what?"**

 **Moffitt translated the question and Mahdi replied, "** عقيل والبعض الاخر قد تم اسرهم على ايدى الالمان **."**

 **Moffitt said, "Apparently Akil and some others have been taken into custody by the Germans." He questioned why they had come to them. "** لماذا تاتى الينا **?"**

 **Mahdi said, "** ستذهب بعدها واعادتها **."**

" **He seems to think we're going to go out and bring them back."**

 **Troy looked at Mahdi and shook his head. "No way."**

 **The Arabs didn't need Troy's answer translated. Mahdi signaled to several of his men. They quickly dismounted and went straight to the nearest of the four and two of them grabbed Tully from behind. He quickly twisted out of their grip and swung his fist around, hitting one of the Arabs in the jaw. Before Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch could react, the third hit Tully in the head with the butt of his rifle. He went down, unconscious.**

 **Troy started toward Tully, but the Arabs stopped him by moving in around the three soldiers and Mahdi with their horses.**

 **Mahdi pointed at Troy and said, "** سوف يساعدنا على الخروج الزعيم **!"**

 **Moffitt said, "He's demanding that we help them."**

 **Troy said, "And if we don't?"**

 **Moffitt translated and Mahdi pointed to Tully as he replied, "** ثم يموت الرجل **!"**

 **Moffitt said, "If we don't, they'll kill Tully."**

 **They watched as Tully was loaded onto a horse with an Arab holding his still form upright in front of him. They weren't being given a choice.**

 **Troy glowered at Mahdi and said to Moffitt, "Get whatever information you can about the Germans who took Akil."**

 **As a group of riders left with Tully, Moffitt began questioning Mahdi. Hitch watched them leave with his friend and asked, "Do we have a chance of pulling this off?"**

 **Troy sighed as he too watch the group leave with his private. "Chance or not, we don't have a choice."**

 **##################**

 **When Tully opened his eyes he was confused and his head hurt. He tried to move, but he discovered that he was tied up … or rather staked out. Tully was within a rough, wooden, upright frame that was normally used for drying meat, his arms and legs were tied to each corner. He noticed his shirt and jacket laying at his feet. At first he thought he was alone as the sun beat down on him, but then he saw the Arab encampment about fifty yards away.**

 **Tully tried to remember what had happened. He remembered the Arabs surrounding them at a waterhole. He remembered Moffitt translating Mahdi's demands. He remembered being grabbed. After that everything was a blank.**

 **##################**

 **Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch were given the rest of that day plus two more to bring back Akil and the others or Tully would die.**

 **After the Arabs left, Moffitt said, "They aren't giving us much time. From what Mahdi told me and showed me on the map, it'll take us about a day just to get to the German camp. And today is half over."**

 **Troy nodded. "Yeah, well, we'll drive straight through until we get there. There'll be three-quarters of a moon tonight. That'll help."**

 **Hitch questioned, "If Mahdi and his men know where the Germans are holding Akil, why don't they rescue him and the others themselves?"**

" **Mahdi isn't stupid. He knows they wouldn't stand a chance against German firepower. They'd be cut down before they could even get close."**

 **They drove west and hoped Mahdi's directions were correct. It was just about midnight when they arrived and climbed a dune overlooking the German encampment. They searched with binoculars until they located a tent that was being guarded.**

 **##################**

 **At first the sun going down was a relief. Tully had felt his back and chest begin to burn in the afternoon sun. Then the cold set in with the darkness and he began to shiver.**

 **When the sun came up in the morning it quickly went from comfortable to just plain hot. By noon his reddened skin was beginning to blister. The Arabs had been giving him just enough water to keep him alive, but other than that they ignored him.**

 **Tully entertained himself by trying to get free without being noticed and discovered that his movements rubbed the robe against the wooden frame. By sundown it was fraying slowly but steadily.**

 **##################**

 **Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch spent the rest of the night and all the next day watching the camp. Seeing when the guards were changed, making sure the prisoners weren't moved, and the general movement throughout the encampment. By nightfall they were ready to go in.**

 **They took the jeeps to the end of the dune, then walked silently to the edge of the camp. They waited for the guards to pass by on their regular rounds, then carefully made their way through the darkened camp to the tent where the prisoners were being held. It had been noted that while there were two guards outside the tent during the day, there was only one at night.**

 **Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch stayed low in the shadows the moon created. Troy peered around the corner of the tent at the guard on duty next to the tent's flap. He was sitting on a wooden crate and appeared to be asleep, his body slouched and his head down with his chin against his chest. Troy slowly moved over to the guard and hit him hard on the back of the neck with the side of his hand. The guard didn't make a sound as he slumped forward.**

 **Troy pushed the unconscious German back up to a sitting position before he could fall onto the sand. He signaled Moffitt and Hitch, and the three of them went into the tent.**

 **There was a single candle burning on a table. The dim light revealed six men huddled on the ground asleep with a seventh watching over them. Troy looked at the man and whispered, "Akil, wake your people. We're getting out of here."**

 **Everything went according to plan as the group followed Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch to the small motor pool. The seven Arabs were instructed to get into the camp's only staff car with Hitch behind the wheel. Then Troy whispered to Hitch and Akil, "Keep your heads down. We'll signal you when we get to the jeeps."**

 **Hitch nodded. "Right, sarge."**

 **As soon as Troy and Moffitt were back at the jeeps and ready to go, a flare was sent up. The silent beacon was Hitch's signal. He started the engine and floored it. The German guards saw the flare, but by the time they realized what was happening and gave the alarm, Hitch was out of camp and heading for the dune where he knew the two sergeants would be waiting.**

 **##################**

 **Tully worked hard for half the night to free one hand. Luckily, the Arabs didn't seem too worried about him escaping, because they hadn't bothered to put a guard on him.**

 **When the rope finally gave way, Tully's arm fell limply to his side. He worked his fingers to get some feeling back into his hand before he worked the rope loose on left wrist. Tully fell awkwardly to his hands and knees. As soon as he was able, he untied his ankles, picked up his shirt and jacket, and made his way into the dark desert. He wanted to be far away before the Arabs discovered him missing.**

 **##################**

 **When the sun came up, the staff car and jeeps stopped. Troy walked over to the car and Akil said, "I am surprised you and your men have come to our rescue, sergeant. I would not expect it with what has happened between us in the past."**

 **Troy frowned as he said, "We weren't given much of a choice. Mahdi is holding one of my men hostage until we bring you back."**

" **Mahdi is a good man. He is the one I trust the most."**

 **Troy sighed and tried to keep his temper in check. "We don't have a lot of time, Akil. I need you to get us to your camp before sundown."**

 **Akil nodded. "Of course." He looked around to check his bearings. "Go east."**

 **##################**

 **Tully staggered and fell. He rolled onto his back and winced as pressure was introduced to his sunburnt back. Panting, he closed his eyes as he tried to remember the last time the Arabs had given him water. When he opened his eyes again he squinted at the morning sun. He didn't know how far he'd gotten, but he knew he had to keep going.**

 **Shakily, Tully got to his knees, then put on his shirt and jacket before getting to his feet and trudging on. He had faith that Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch would realize he was heading in the direction of a waterhole that he'd guessed to be about fifty kilometers north of the Arab camp. He didn't know if he would make it that far, but he wasn't going to give up.**

 **##################**

 **The two jeeps followed the staff car to Akil's encampment and they arrived two hours before sunset. Their leader and the others were greeted with open arms as they got out of the car.**

 **After a few seconds, Troy demanded, "Okay, where's my man?"**

 **Akil turned to Mahdi and asked, "** اين الرقيب الرجل **?"**

 **Mahdi shrugged. "** هرب اثناء الليل **."**

 **Moffitt stepped forward, concern etched into his face. "What do you mean he escaped during the night? He was to be a hostage, not a prisoner."**

 **Akil asked Mahdi to explain. As he did, Moffitt jerked his head around to look at the drying rack where Tully had been tied. Troy asked, "What'd he say, Moffitt?"**

" **They had Tully tied to that rack out there. He managed to escape during the night. They followed his tracks to the north for a ways this morning, but didn't find him."**

 **Hitch started toward Mahdi with murder in his eyes, but Troy stopped him and growled, "Akil, you're lucky we don't have the time, or I'd let Hitchcock knock Mahdi's head off."**

 **As they headed for the jeeps, Moffitt said, "There's a waterhole north of here and Tully knows it. I bet he's heading in that direction."**

 **Troy nodded. "Yeah. He'll never make it there on foot … especially if he's hurt and without water."**

 **They drove north hell-bent-for-leather and prayed that Tully was able to stay on course. They had little time before it would be dark.**

 **##################**

 **Tully let himself fall to his knees. He was exhausted, thirsty, and in pain. He couldn't go any further. He looked around and spotted a lone tree that had died and fallen to the desert floor to rot.**

 **Tully half walked and half crawled to where the tree lay. He managed to take a small branch and dig one end into the sand to act as a pole. He struggled out of his jacket and hung it over the branch and hoped someone would see his "flag". Then he let himself collapse.**

 **The jeeps sped across the desert, occasionally glimpsing tracks in the sand that the windblown sand hadn't yet completely covered. They were all looking for Tully. Troy stood in the back of the jeep, hanging onto the 50 caliber with one hand and holding binoculars with the other.**

 **The sun was going down quickly. It was just starting to disappear behind some distant mountains. That's when Troy spotted something out of place. He pointed and yelled to Hitch, "There! To our left!"**

 **Without hesitation Hitch turned the jeep in the direction Troy indicated and Moffitt followed.**

 **##################**

 **The first time Tully awoke it was dark. He glanced around and saw Troy in the moonlight on watch. The tip of his cigarette glowed as he inhaled. Tully wondered if he was hallucinating, but decided it didn't matter at the moment. He was just too tired to care and let his eyes close, not realizing that he wasn't in pain anymore.**

 **The next time Tully opened his eyes it was daylight and he was lying in the shade of a tree at the waterhole he'd been headed for. Moffitt knelt down beside him with a canteen and helped Tully take a drink. Then he dampened the compress and replaced it on Tully's forehead. "How are you feeling?"**

 **Tully had a fever, chills, a headache, and felt like he hadn't slept in a week. He managed a slight smile and his voice was quiet as he said, "I knew you guys would find me."**

" **Lucky for us you were able to set up a signal of sorts." Moffitt noticed a grimace. "Are you in much pain?"**

 **Tully sighed and admitted, "I hurt all over." Moffitt nodded and reached for the med kit to get a shot of morphine. "Did you find Akil?"**

 **The sergeant gave the private the shot as he said, "He's back with his people safe and sound."**

" **When are we going home?"**

" **As soon as the ambulance gets here."**

 **Tully shivered under the blanket that covered him and asked, "Do I really need an ambulance?"**

 **Moffitt smiled. "Well, you need the drugs the ambulance is carrying. And the ride back to base will be more comfortable for you."**

 **Tully's eyes closed as the tug of sleep pulled at him. "Okay."**

 **##################**

 **Back at base, Tully was examined and treated for severe sunburn on his back, chest, and arms. He was given IV fluids for dehydration and antibiotics for the infections that had started in some of the open blisters.**

 **Tully slept for twelve hours straight. When he opened his eyes the first person he saw was Charley sitting next to him with crossed legs up on the chair and a book in her hands. He smiled as she looked at him. "Hi."**

 **Charley smiled and put the book aside. She took his hand and said, "About time you woke up. How do you feel?"**

 **Tully kissed her knuckles. "A little sore, but better then when they brought me in."**

" **Good. Sam, Jack, and Hitch have been in and out checking on you. They'll be glad to know that you've finally woken up."**

" **How long have you been here?"**

 **Charley said, "Long enough to finish one book and start another." Then she quickly changed the subject. "Are you hungry?"**

 **Tully accepted the change of subject with a sigh and said, "Starved."**

 **Charley got up and grabbed a corpsman. She asked him to go to the mess hall for some soup, crackers, and fruit cocktail. When she sat down again, she said, "Food's on its way."**

" **Thanks for not going yourself. I like you being here … even though I'm sure you've been here too long."**

 **Charley patted his hand and leaned in for a kiss. "Well, I did leave to do my deliveries this morning. But after you eat, I promise to go home for a while."**

 **Tully smiled. "It's a deal."**

 **Charley picked up the book she'd started. "Want me to read to you while you wait on lunch?"**

" **I always like the sound of your voice."**

 **Charley read as they waited. Soon Tully's food arrived and she stopped long enough to help him get propped up and situated with the tray. Then Charley resumed reading until Tully was finished eating. She moved the tray and took up the story where she'd left off until her husband dozed off with a hint of a smile on his sweet face.**


End file.
